What a gorgeous day we had today!  We actually hit 19C!

I don’t expect we’ll hit above 10C again, for the rest of the year.  It’d be nice, but I’m not going to count on it!

Which meant a final run around the yard.  I took out the string of lights that wasn’t working, then hauled away a few more loads of pruned and cleaned up branches from the spruce grove; what hasn’t been cleaned up are in piles that can stay the winter.  Mostly, I wanted access to the larger, less noisy, wheelbarrow!  The straw around the old dog house I prepped for the cats to use over the winter had settled, so I added three more wheelbarrows of straw around the outside.  I also finally cleaned up the platform for the clothes line.  Some of what was on there went to the junk pile – we won’t be able to get that hauled away this year, unfortunately.  There was a plastic bin under the bench seat on the platform that had some plant pots in it, sitting in half frozen rain water.  The pots went into the shelf we’ve left by the sun room – that thing has been too handy to haul away.  The bin itself was put back under the bench, but on its side, so it won’t collect water.  Bricks that had been lying around went inside it, to ensure it doesn’t get blown away.  One more little shelter from the weather for the cats, though they also go under the platform itself.

The tools and equipment have been put way, but into the sun room, not the garden shed.  That shed will need to be hauled away with the junk, after we clear it out of whatever is not broken in there.  I’ve put the garden hoses in there, but I hope to replace those next summer.

It looks like getting the trees done will have to wait until the spring, after all.  The pump for our well has been making some strange noises when it first turns on, but I’ve never been able to get to it to record it, before the noise stops.  We’ve been listening for it, as it doesn’t happen every time the pump turns on, and it seems to make the noise only after the pump has not had to turn on for several hours.  So, mostly, when the first shower of the day is started.  Before contacting the plumber I emailed my older brother about it.  From the description, he says it sounds like the foot valve is letting water slowly leak down.  If it has long enough time to leak, when it turns on again, it will make the grumbling noises we’ve been hearing, as it tries to prime itself.

If that’s what it is, it’s a job for the plumber, because fixing it would require taking the pipe out of the manhole outside.

I’ve asked the girls to let me know before the first one of them showers tomorrow morning, so I can go downstairs and start recording when the water is started, and hopefully catch the pump making the noise when it turns on.  Then I can call the plumber, play it for him, and it will give him an idea of what it is.

This is one of those things we can’t take a chance on.  If the pump goes, we have no water.  Better to have it fixed now, before winter gets here!  I’m just hoping we can pay for that, and still be able to get me to a dentist. :-(

Renting a wood chipper this fall is also out the window.

*sigh*

Once it was dark enough, I went out to check the lights again.  One string shorter, but all are working!

I’m really happy with how the whole fence line is looking.  After I took the broken string of lights down, I took the time to cut away the small underbrush I’d left behind, since I was focusing on getting the fence itself clear of the big stuff.  There was enough of it to be in the way while walking back and forth, with the lights.

That done, I spent some time walking around, just enjoying the warm and peaceful night in the yard.  Gosh, it is so nice!  I really missed this, when living in the city.  You can actually see the stars, and it’s so quiet.  Even when being chased down and having my calves tackled by a Doom Guy. :-D

I played around with the “pro” settings on my phone to try and get some photos.  Here’s one of them.

You can actually see a star next to that moon!  I’ve resized the image, and some of the detail is lost. The lights on the bottom right are the solar lights I’ve got on each side of the vehicle gate into the yard, and you can see the moon reflecting on the metal roof of the garage.

Anyhow.  As for as outside the house goes, we’re ready for winter.

It’s been a good and productive day!

The Re-Farmer